Garmin's latest GPS device is the first in-vehicle gadget to offer hands-free access to Amazon's Alexa. It's an inch and a half in size and has an LED light ring and a bright OLED display with lane guidance arrows. The Speak secures to your vehicle's windshield with a magnetic mount, making it easy to stow once you've reached your destination.
3D printers have clear benefits when creating architectural models, but none of the options on the market have been built with that in mind. Until now. The Platonics Arc 3D Printer is the first to be designed specifically for architects. Created using feedback from practicing professionals, it uses a self-cleaning, self-calibrating design to eliminate time-wasting setup and maintenance processes. Using specialized software that links to most popular architectural apps, you can move from a CAD file to printable STL in just four steps, freeing up more time to focus on what's important: your design.
Not long ago, external drives were typically either large and heavy, or small and relatively slow. The Silicon Power Bolt B80 External Drive is small, light, and fast. It packs up to 480 GB of SSD storage in a sleek, circular aluminum enclosure that's both shock-resistant and IP68-rated against water and dust intrusion. A USB Type-C, 3.1 Gen 2 interface supports transfer rates of up to 550MB/sec, and the entire thing measures under 12 mm tall and weighs just 53 grams.
Sometimes shoots lead you places you'd rather not take your laptop. Take the Gnarbox Camera Assistant with you instead. Packing 128 or 256GB of storage with USB expansion, it ensures you'll have enough shots to finish the job. SD and microSD slots accept cards from nearly any camera, and support for both RAW and 4K video files means it handles pros and amateurs alike. Built-in wireless and a companion app let you start processing, editing, and sharing your favorites on the spot.
So far virtual reality systems have been split into two main groups: cheap, plastic holders for smartphone-based applications, and more expensive rigs that rely on PCs or gaming consoles to work. The Oculus Go VR Headset is neither. This all-in-one device has a high-resolution fast-switch LCD screen, next-generation lenses, and integrated spacial audio. Breathable fabric and elastic bands keep it snug yet comfortable on your face. It also works with both Oculus Go and Gear VR apps, so there will be a built-in library of apps ready to go when it launches in early 2018.
Last year's Oasis packed in some features we didn't know we wanted, like a 6-inch, 300-ppi screen, and a battery-boosting charging cover. The new Amazon Kindle Oasis has one we've wanted for years: waterproofing. IPX8 rated, it's now able to handle beach- and poolside reading without worrying about splashes or accidental dips, and its larger 7-inch 300-ppi screen has an adaptive front light to make sure it's readable in any conditions. You won't mind carrying it all over, either, thanks to its lightweight anodized aluminum back, glass front cover, and available cellular networking. Available in 8GB and 32GB capacities.
Controlling things with your voice is ideal in a lot of situations. Playing multi-person games is not one of them. Amazon Echo Buttons provide a physical interface for your audio-driven assistant. Completely wireless, these light-up gadgets are designed to work with upcoming trivia, music, and other games for Amazon's Echo devices, letting multiple people get in on the fun without needing to shout over one another. Available in packs of two.
If it were socially acceptable, most of us would wear sweatpants everywhere. But that level of comfort is reserved for lounging around the house — until now. If you aren't familiar already, get to know the line of Dress Pant Sweatpants from Betabrand. Available in slim-leg, regular fit, and 5-pocket, each pair features flexible 4-way stretch fabric. They provide a look that's fit for the boardroom with a level of comfort typically reserved for the bedroom.
Presented by Betabrand.
Sourced and crafted in the U.S.A., the Leesa mattress is backed by both elite athletes and over 10,000 verified five-star customer reviews. You order online and then it's built, compressed, rolled, and shipped directly to your door. And just in case you aren't sure if you'll love it, Leesa will let you try the mattress in the comfort of your own home for 100 risk-free nights or visit a West Elm store near you to try before you buy.
Presented by Leesa.
It's not the only new gadget Amazon's bringing out — there's a revamped, shorter, cheaper Echo, the more powerful Echo Plus, and the HDR-friendly Fire TV — but the Amazon Echo Spot might be the most interesting. Like a cross between the Echo Show and Dot, it has a small, tennis ball-like design that incorporates a circular 2.5-inch screen. As a result, it can handle all the audio-only duties of the Dot, like playing music and setting alarms, but also lets you play video, displays information, and even serves as a clock when it's not doing anything. Ideal for the nightstand or kitchen counter, it comes in black or white.
Blending classic design with modern tech and safety features, the Exto Smart Chip cord is equipped to quickly and safely charge any mobile device in addition to being an extension cord you actually want to show off. A chip inside the outlet provides maximum power to the USB ports, and when the connected device reaches full charge, the power is shut off to protect from potential over-charging, the most common cause of internal batteries losing their ability to hold a charge. The 12-foot cord is wrapped in braided cotton insulation and is rated to 13 amps, and the entire assembly is made in the USA.
The first immersive personal theater headset, Cinera, wants to disrupt the entire home theatre industry. Cinera combines the comfort of watching movies at home with the next best thing to watching in a theatre with a headset the size of a book. Install your favorite streaming apps, play from a micro SD card, or use the headset like a television by connecting it to your gaming system or PC. The sound quality is upgraded to mimic what you'd experience in a theatre, and you can even watch films in 3D with the Cinera. And each experience is enhanced at a media resolution that is eight times that of an iPhone and three times that of a movie theatre screen.
Presented by Cinera.
Tracking your home's energy use has obvious benefits — but doing so has typically required complicated, potentially dangerous installation steps. The Glow Smart Energy Tracker makes it easy. Its wireless tracking unit uses magneto-resistive sensing to measure your home's energy consumption directly from your meter box, yet installs in just seconds with no wiring required. That data is sent to the in-home unit, which processes it and uses its top-mounted light that changes colors from green to red depending on your current usage. It'll also send you a notification if it notices extended high usage, like if you left the oven on or the fridge door open, and can even help you set and hit energy usage goals.
The keyboard has been a part of computing since the beginning. The Logitech Craft Wireless Keyboard gives this essential input device a substantial upgrade with a single round nub. Called the Crown, it's a touch-sensitive control that lets you adjust specific attributes — such as the exposure in Photoshop, or the width of a column in Word — directly, without needing to visit a menu. It works in a variety of Adobe apps as well as with Office on the PC and is sure to gain more compatibility in the future. Additional features include a rechargeable battery, spherical key dishing that makes for comfortable typing and easier navigation, and backlighting so you can see what you're typing, even in the dark.
The days of trying to hide the extension cord running to your home stereo with a plant are over. The Extō+4 extension cord and outlet from Conway Electric is more piece of art than simply a way to get power from point A to point B, making it something you'll actually want on display. The cotton cord is woven on 50-year-old machines from the Pacific Northwest and the full assembly is put together in Seattle from mostly domestic sources. A cast aluminum housing sits on non-slip, non-marking urethane feet so it won't move once in place, or it can be mounted to any surface with a couple screws. On the technical side, the Extō4 is comprised of 8 feet of 14-guage, 15 amps rated FT-2 flame test cord that's also impervious to oil and water, and a 1800 max watts rating. It also just so happens to be the only 4-outlet modular power source with internal tamper resistant barriers protecting the electric current from little objects, helping prevent shock. Available fully blacked out or in a somewhat more tame ACDC white and black duo.
Give your phone or tablet desktop-like capacity with the SanDisk Ultra 400GB MicroSD Card. It has a 100mbps speed rating that lets it write HD video as you capture it, and it's compatible with most Android devices and many cameras. It also works with the SanDisk Memory Zone app (available on the Google Play store) for optimal file sorting and organization, and as a makeshift second hard drive for many laptops via a micro-to-standard SD adapter.
When it was first unveiled, Microsoft's HoloLens mixed reality platform seemed like something out of sci-fi. With the Dell Visor Headset, it's finally becoming more product than concept. Using wall-mounted sensors and inside-out tracking cameras, it provides an immersive experience via twin 1440 x 1440 displays and 90 Hz refresh rates. It flips up when paused to let you reconnect with the world around you, has plentiful cushioning for comfort, and has an HDMI connection to your computer to keep you from straying too far.
Blending classic design with modern tech and safety features, the Exto Smart Chip cord is equipped to quickly and safely charge any mobile device in addition to being an extension cord you actually want to show off. A chip inside the outlet provides maximum power to the USB ports, and when the connected device reaches full charge, the power is shut off to protect from potential over-charging, the most common cause of internal batteries losing their ability to hold a charge. The 12-foot cord is wrapped in braided cotton insulation and is rated to 13 amps, and the entire assembly is made in the USA.
For the same price, you could buy approximately 1,080 Bic pens (if you opt for economical 144-packs). But you'll lose every last one of those plastic ballpointers, and won't feel like your written words are worth a dime. We're opting instead for the Inventery Mechanical Pen. Available in a black oxide or brushed chrome finish, this writing instrument is machined from a single brass rod to form a unibody construction. At the heart of the pen is a Schmidt P8126 capless rollerball in black ink, paired with an all-brass Schmidt click mechanism that's near-silent. Each pen has an anti-roll groove, and is marked with an individual serial number.
Weight: 57 Grams / Length: 5 Inches / Diameter: 11mm
Astropad gave us our first taste of how well the iPad can function as an extension of your Mac. The company's Luna Display takes the idea to its logical conclusion, letting the iPad serve as an external monitor. Leveraging a physical connection to your Mac and proprietary Liquid technology, it provides lag-free, graphics card-driven performance wirelessly. It can also do something no other external setup can: let you manipulate the OS using just your fingers, and draw right on the screen with the Apple Pencil. Available for Mini DisplayPort or USB-C and compatible with most modern Macs and iPads.
Leave it to another one of Elon Musk's companies to drag celestial fashion forward in the same way Tesla has the auto industry. Previewed on Instagram, the new SpaceX Spacesuit is a sleek, futurist suit that's a far cry from what our astronauts currently wear. According to Musk, the suit isn't a mockup — it's already been tested to double vacuum pressure — although it's uncertain when we might see one in action, Right Stuff-style.
You won't find them at your local rim shop. In fact, you can only get them on one model. That doesn't make these Porsche Braided Carbon Wheels any less impressive. They pair a center piece made from 200 individual pieces of carbon fiber fabric with a rim base crafted on the world's largest carbon fiber braiding machine (it's nearly 30 feet in diameter). The completed wheel is treated with resin, pre-hardened at extreme pressures and temperatures, and protected with clear lacquer, resulting in a wheel that's 20% lighter and stronger than the next best rim. Fittingly, they're only available on the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series.
Whether you're picking out a shade for your living room or working on a design, the Nix Mini Color Sensor can help you find and organize hues you like. Using a calibrated sensor and high-CRI white LEDs, the Nix captures accurate representations of colors on nearly any surface, which it can then match to RGB, HTML, CMYK and LAB colors, or over 10,000 brand-name paints. In addition to color matching, you can save your favorite colors and instantly find new palettes via the companion app, and thanks to its lightweight and size — smaller than a ping pong ball — there's little excuse to not carry it with you.
Most VR rigs have been focused on gaming. The HP Z VR Backpack PC is not your average VR rig. Aimed at the professional market for visualization, walk-through simulations, and employee training, the Z is a workstation-class PC, with an Intel Core i7 Pro processor, up to 32 GB of RAM, and a Nvidia Quadro GPU. While in backpack mode, it supports most head-mounted displays and runs off of dual hot-swappable batteries yet weighs just 10 pounds, and when it's time to sit down and get work done IRL, its dock gives you support for two 4K displays and plenty of ports.
Tile's Bluetooth trackers are already one of the best ways to keep track of easily-lost belongings. Tile Pro Series Trackers improve on them in several ways. First of all, their range is doubled to 200 feet, and the onboard speaker is twice as loud — up to 88 decibels. They're also waterproof, have a battery life of one year, and sport a redesigned proximity sensor that's even more accurate. Available in slate/graphite Sport or white/champagne Style models.
It's obvious that thanks to technology, keys, cards, and other insecure forms of ID and payment will soon be a thing of the past. Using Bluetooth and NFC, the Token Smart Ring promises to replace everything from your wallet to your car keys. It has a fingerprint sensor on the interior so you can securely unlock it when you put it on, an optical sensor that automatically locks it back when you take it off, and a battery life of two weeks, so whether you're using it to pay for takeout or unlock your house, you won't have to worry about charging it every day. Available in three finishes to suit your style.
Forget trying to hide an industrial-looking box. Thanks to a sleek design penned by Frog, the New Matter MOD-t Desktop 3D Printer is a gadget you'll be proud to have displayed in your work area. Its white base is covered by a transparent plastic hood, letting you view the printer's moving build plate and extruder as they work. The printer has a maximum resolution of 100 microns, a maximum build size of 6 by 5 by 4 inches, and uses standard PLA filament.
The Elevator hasn't changed much since its debut over 160 years ago. Until now. Developed by Germany's ThyssenKrupp, the Multi Rope-Free Elevator leverages linear motor technology developed for maglev trains to enable an all-new building transportation system. Unlike traditional elevators, the Multi utilizes multiple cabins traveling up one shaft and down another in a single continuous loop. Yes, that means they can move both vertically and horizontally, with the guiding equipment spinning to accommodate 90-degree turns. Far from a concept, the first Multi system is being installed in Berlin's new East Side Tower, and given its benefits over typical systems, you'll likely see them popping up in urban markets across the globe.
You can purchase a drum set or snare that is just like thousands of others, or you can get one that is customized by Exclusive Drums. The Belgian company has a passion for percussion and builds unique stave shell snare drums or complete sets after you choose the wood, measures, and finish. Each creation is unique as wooden cubes of wood are glued next to each other in a circle and rounded on the inside and outside. Using wood that would otherwise be discarded or burned, an old piece of furniture can be turned into a brand new unique musical instrument.
A quarter of all accidents happen because of a driver falling asleep — even drowsy driving is nearly as dangerous as driving intoxicated and is responsible for 30,000 deaths a year. The Steer Wearable Driving Aid ensures you won't fall asleep driving ever again. It detects your drowsiness level by analyzing your heart rate and skin conductance every two seconds. If it thinks you're getting drowsy, it will first warn you with a vibration and yellow light, and if your heart rate drops further, it will jolt you back to consciousness with a gentle electric shock. Each charge of its battery lasts up to two weeks, so don't need to worry about it powering down unexpectedly, giving you added peace of mind on long drives.
A sleek alternative to a smart watch, the Orii Smart Ring gives you the ability to makes calls, send messages, and interact with your voice assistant without your phone. The key is bone conduction technology, which transmits sound privately by sending vibrations directly to your ear. Dual noise canceling microphones ensure you're heard clearly, and its battery-laden carrying case lets you charge up five times before needing an outlet. Available in three colors, all of which are meant to complement a broad range of outfits.
Blending retro looks and modern technology, the Azio Vintage Keyboard has the feel of a found artifact you can use every day. Its top plate is made from genuine leather and framed with a zinc aluminum alloy that will weather and gain character over time. Inspired by vintage typewriters, the key switches are quite clicky and have a LED in the center for nighttime illumination. Available in three color schemes and USB or Bluetooth versions.
When two legends meet, beautiful things can happen — visually and aurally. The Hollywood Bowl has hosted some of the biggest acts in music history over its 95-year life. From Sinatra to The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd, the Bowl has hosted a who's-who of music royalty. Not far away in Fullerton, Fender has been producing amps and guitars that have become synonymous with the sound of rock-n-roll. The Front Row Legend Esquire brings the legacy of the Bowl and Fender together in one guitar. Made from the original Hollywood Bowl bleachers, each Front Row Esquire features a seat number and weathered patina with a thin satin protective finish. Aged brass hardware and a vintage-spec pickup make sure the sound of history is in your hands — and not just the look.
